Thanksgiving 2018

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and every year we are saying that our blessings are too numerous to count. As it turns out, that is so true. So while the list I am publishing is true, it is not the complete one. The true one would go into the thousands.

Thanksgiving Blessing: #20 I am thankful for a roof over my head.

Thanksgiving Blessing: #19 I am thankful that I have the means to transport myself from one place to the other and live in a country that allows me to do that generally without restriction.

Thanksgiving Blessing #18 I am thankful that I live in a country that proclaims that I am free to worship or not to worship God as I deem proper.

Thanksgiving Blessing#17 I am thankful that I live in a time when people who have difficulty breathing can have a fairly normal life through medical and mechanical assistance.

Thanksgiving Blessing #16 I am thankful for all the encouragement, help and support that we have received over the last few years. The number of people is amazing and almost impossible to count!

Thanksgiving Blessing #15 I am thankful for all the connections with old and new friends on Facebook. To the old, it is so awesome that we have been able to renew our relationship even though it has been, in some cases, decades since our last contact. To the new, welcome to a new adventure!

Thanksgiving Blessing #14 I am thankful for the people who work in Companion Healthcare Hospice. They offer exceptional service, medical directions, encouragement, and emotional support. I have grown to love each of them I encounter.

Thanksgiving Blessing #13 I am thankful for The Real Estate community of Oklahoma City Metro. When we moved to the Oklahoma City Metro in 1992 with a new concept for the real estate business we were welcomed with open arms immediately forming business associations and friendships that have lasted through all of the years.

Thanksgiving Blessing #12 I am thankful that I live in the United States of America. I know that the country has problems and frankly, it will always have problems – every country does. The difference is that we have the means and methods to solve the issues. We only need to come together with the intent to resolve rather than magnify any conflicts.

Thanksgiving Blessing #11 I am thankful for the people who, from behind the scenes, actually get the job done. Rarely seeking glory, they do their job day after day and we walk by them without giving credit where credit is due. I am talking about clerks, waitresses, civil servants, the cooks, factory workers, the janitor and so many others that do their jobs without seeking recognition.

Thanksgiving Blessing #10 I am thankful for growing up in Clayton, New Mexico. While I could probably write a book on its rich history, I will defer to “Not So Wild The Old West: A Collection of Facts, Fables, and Fun” 1961 by Clara Toombs Harvey. Instead, I want to express thanks for the general train of thoughts, ethics, and expectations that were simply a part of Clayton. 2nd place was not okay when you expect to deserve the best at whatever you do.

Thanksgiving Blessing #9 I am thankful for my church family at Yukon Church. Never before have I met a group of Christians more dedicated to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Eternal friendships have been formed with a common belief in the Love and Grace of Christ.

Thanksgiving Blessing #8 I am thankful for my pastor­­­, Keith Henson. If you would ever like to meet a person who puts God first, then you need to connect with Keith. Likewise, I know who will answer and respond to my call at 2 o’clock in the morning!

Thanksgiving Blessing #7 I am thankful for my in-laws. I know it rarely happens, but it was admiration and respect from day one with Don and Betty Potter. While they played the “in-law” role they became best friends. Perhaps the most touching attribute is that the last thing they did in life was for me. Don and Betty had flown their plane to Albuquerque to celebrate my birthday. Upon their return, a wind shear crashed the plane and they flew away.

Thanksgiving Blessing #6 I am thankful for my sister, Linda. Linda was a hard act to follow. She is three years older than me and we have in one way or the other been in competition with each other since my arrival on the scene. However, since our father’s passing in August of 1993, we have maintained at least one phone call each week to remain a part of each other’s life together. We laugh, cry and share our lives. We are now over 1,250 calls.

Thanksgiving Blessing #5 I am thankful for my parents. Mom and Dad were believers in the world of absolutes. By that I mean what they did for one child they then took extraordinary steps to assure that the other child was treated fairly. They were frugal, family oriented and community servers. In many ways they were opposites. Dad was outgoing, a true extrovert. Mom always preferred to sit on the back row even though she did teach 1st grade Sunday School. Dad had a degree in Electrical Engineering even though his dream was to be a medical doctor and had attended OU Medical School until the financial woes of the depression re-charted his life course.

Thanksgiving Blessing #4 I am thankful for all of my six grandchildren. Talk about unique personalities. If God’s intention was to provide variety in life then He can mark this one down as a success! Four girls and two boys. Elizabeth, Jerry, Claire, Abbie, Riley, and Gabe are each in their own world and bring a unique flavor of spice to my life.

Thanksgiving Blessing #3 I am thankful for my sons and their wives. Both David and Bo in their own way have tested out as geniuses. Likewise, both of the boys married (David/Carrie and Bo/Alicia) women of intellectual equality who are idolized by their husbands.

Thanksgiving Blessing #2 I am thankful for my wife, Nikki. Yes, love, at first sight, is possible and true. The day that I met Nikki I knew that she was the one. Circumstances got in the way of us having more than our one and only date because it just preceded a most horrific accident that I had in my new Porsche. After daily phone calls for the next two months, I finally convinced her that since I had broken my coffee pot and she had a new one we should get married.  Not wanting to waste time, we made an appointment with my Dad, Judge Sharp, to perform the ceremony 2 days later on December 29, 1979. I think it is going to last!

Thanksgiving Blessing #1 I am thankful for my Salvation. There are so many words that can be used to describe the act of Salvation by the Lord through Jesus Christ. Scripture expresses it best in Philippians 4:7(NIV) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Over the past three years when my life has been held in balance several times, I do not recall fear or regret but the peace that whatever happened was for His Glory.